CVE-2020-29254 in TikiWiki
Summary
by MITRE • 12/11/2020
TikiWiki 21.2 allows templates to be edited without CSRF protection. This could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to conduct a cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attack and perform arbitrary actions on an affected system. The vulnerability is due to insufficient CSRF protections for the web-based management interface of the affected system. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by persuading a user of the interface to follow a maliciously crafted link. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to perform arbitrary actions on an affected system with the privileges of the user. These action include allowing attackers to submit their own code through an authenticated user resulting in local file Inclusion. If an authenticated user who is able to edit TikiWiki templates visits an malicious website, template code can be edited.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/16/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-29254 affects TikiWiki version 21.2 and represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw that undermines the security of the web-based management interface. This weakness stems from inadequate CSRF protection mechanisms within the template editing functionality, creating a significant attack vector for remote threat actors. The vulnerability specifically targets the template editing component of TikiWiki, which is a core administrative feature that allows users to modify the presentation and structure of web content. When an authenticated user accesses a malicious website that contains crafted requests designed to exploit this CSRF flaw, the attacker can manipulate the template editing functionality without proper authorization. This vulnerability falls under CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery issues, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1213.002 for Data from Information Repositories, as it enables unauthorized modification of template data that can subsequently be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple template manipulation, as it creates a pathway for more severe security breaches through local file inclusion exploits. When an authenticated user visits a malicious website containing embedded CSRF payloads, the attacker can inject arbitrary code into the template system, potentially leading to remote code execution or privilege escalation. The attack requires minimal user interaction since the exploit can be triggered simply by visiting a compromised website, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users frequently browse untrusted content. The vulnerability's exploitation process involves crafting malicious links or web pages that, when visited by an authenticated user, automatically submit template modification requests to the target TikiWiki instance. This automated attack vector significantly reduces the attack surface and increases the likelihood of successful exploitation, especially in scenarios where users have elevated privileges within the TikiWiki system.
The security implications of this CSRF vulnerability are compounded by the fact that it operates without requiring authentication from the attacker, making it particularly dangerous for systems where template editing capabilities are available to authenticated users. The attacker does not need to compromise user credentials or gain direct access to the system to exploit this vulnerability, as the attack leverages the legitimate session of an authenticated user. This makes the vulnerability particularly concerning for organizations that rely heavily on TikiWiki's template system for content management, as even a single compromised user could potentially enable attackers to inject malicious code that persists across the entire system. The vulnerability's potential for enabling local file inclusion attacks means that successful exploitation could result in complete system compromise, as attackers could leverage the template editing functionality to upload and execute arbitrary code on the target server. Organizations using TikiWiki 21.2 should implement immediate mitigations including the addition of proper CSRF tokens to all template editing requests, implementation of referer checks, and enforcement of strict session management controls. Additionally, network segmentation and monitoring of template modification activities can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts, while regular security updates and patches should be applied to address the underlying CSRF protection deficiencies that make this vulnerability possible.